Allison Ponthier Crafts a Lighthearted Tale of Imposter Syndrome and Obsession in "Skin"
Photo: Julian Buchan
“I'd say, I wanna wear your skin just for a day, I wanna feel special for a change.”
In honor of International Women’s Day, we are here to support women’s rights (and – in this particular instance – women’s wrongs). The Texas-born, New York-based pop singer Allison Ponthier recently released “Skin,” where she goes to great lengths to answer the age-old question: Do I want her life, or as a wife?
“Skin” is everything and more. It’s entertaining, it’s lighthearted, it’s silly, it’s sapphic, and it’s been on repeat since the moment I pressed play for the first time. Instantly, “Skin” teleports us to the world of Ponthier, which can only be described as a dazzling collage of country pop, Americana, cowgirl chic, heart on a sleeve, and coming of age. With each passing verse, Ponthier pens an anthem of envy, admiration, and imposter syndrome through the lens of being so obsessed with someone, to the point of (quite literally) wanting to crawl into their skin. A feeling universal to most, yet an experience unique to “Skin.”
Ponthier’s songwriting is self-aware and her delivery is playful, which makes “Skin” all the more fun to sing along to. Throughout the lyrics, Ponthier battles self-comparison while feeding us bits and pieces about the Mystery Girl, singing, “She knows everything 'bout everything / And I know I know nothing at all” and “She's the people's princess, pitchfork songstress and I'm a gross fly on the wall.” As the storyline continues, we learn that perhaps these statements aren’t facts, but assumptions, and perhaps Ponthier wants to be her a liiiittle bit more than she wants to be with her.
“I’m really attracted to writing songs that explore my weaknesses, and the challenge of ‘Skin’ was to create something that gave a voice to my inner saboteur,” shares Ponthier. “I wanted to talk about feeling like you’re not good enough — which is something that every single person goes through — but to do it in a way that’s got some levity and feels upbeat and fun.”
With such a succinct narrative that simultaneously lets the mind wander to dangerous places, the music video for “Skin” is everything we could have asked for and more. Directed by Julian Buchan, we watch Ponthier grow a little too close to her shiny, new, rockstar roommate. Reminiscent of Last Night In Soho with a twist like The Talented Mr. Ripley and a Saltburn aesthetic, the music video is a chaotic good work of art.
It’s safe to say that we’re obsessed with “Skin.”
Watch the "Skin" video below:
